Office Building Supporting Information

Dandara Commercial Ltd.

Erection of office building with associated drainage works, car parking and landscaping, parts of fields 521895 & 521888, between Cooil Road and MEA building, Isle of Man Business Park, Braddan.

18 DEC 2004

Supporting Information

DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE

1. The site is an area of approximately 0.6 acres (excluding access road) which adjoins the eastern side of Cooil Road, adjacent to the existing MEA Headquarters building and associated depot. It is within an area which has previously been approved for Business Park use under PAs 89/04166 & 90/04155 and is included within the Business Park "Masterplan" area identified in the Braddan Local Plan. It was also within an area proposed for Business Park use in the Draft Braddan Parish Plan 2003.

1. Much of the site is clear of topsoil and vegetation having previously been used as a temporary builders compound (approved under PA 04/01292). An application which sought approval in principle for the creation of two commercial development plots on fields 521888 & 521895 was subsequently refused due to concerns over access (which was to be taken directly from Cooil Road) and the introduction of a car sales use to the area. Planning approval has more recently been granted under PA 10/00749 to erect an office building on land immediately to the north west of the site (which is currently under construction) and under PA 10/01676 to erect an office/warehouse building directly to the south east.

1. It is now proposed to develop the site with an office building to be used as corporate headquarters (Blocks B & C), with associated access and drainage provisions, car parking and landscaping. A separate application has been submitted which seeks approval for a smaller office building (Block A) on a site immediately to the east. The buildings have been designed to take into account their location, including the recently approved buildings on either side, and in part they sit upon columns which raise the accommodation up to first floor level. The need to provide modern office accommodation in a commercial setting is an important consideration and a design statement accompanies the application.

1. Vehicular access to the site is to be taken through the Isle of Man Business Park and not directly from Cooil Road. Blocks B & C will provide approximately 945 sq.m of nett office space and as such the 63 parking spaces to be provided will satisfy the relevant

parking standard of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan (1 space per 15 sq.m of nett floorspace for out of town offices). The application is accompanied by a Transport Assessment prepared by Bryan G Hall Consulting Civil & Transportation Planning Engineers which confirms that "the traffic likely to be generated by the two application proposals and by the development of the adjoining undeveloped land will not be detrimental to the safety or convenience of other road users within the Business Park", and which goes on to conclude that "the application proposals conform with the Policies of the extant Braddan Parish District Local Plan, the Draft Braddan Parish Plan and the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and that planning permission should not be withheld for any of these reasons."

1. The Manx sod hedge which forms the original roadside boundary is to be retained and

strengthened where necessary, and the trees which exist at the site boundary are to be retained and protected during construction. Further landscaping and planting is to take place within the site. The application is accompanied by an Energy Impact Assessment/Statement as required by Energy Policy 5 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan¹.

¹ An Energy Impact Assessment/Statement is attached at Appendix 1